About Joe “Maserati” Manchin’s Yacht

Soft-pedaling journos who suck up to their subjects (the folks about whom they regularly write), have changed their tone on Joe “Maserati” Manchin III’s yacht, and have taken to calling it a “houseboat.”

That’s just wrong — just plain wrong — on so many levels, and you’re about to understand why.

First, some websites assert that the term “yacht” is superfluous, or supererogatory, that the term is ambiguous, and open to interpretation.

WV Senator Joe “Maserati” Manchin III on his yacht “Almost Heaven” speaks to protesters in kayaks below. The vessel’s name, and its hailing port (home port) are clearly visible.

I demur.

That is most certainly NOT the case.

The United States Coast Guard establishes guidelines for vessels, which are Federal laws and regulations that vessel owners MUST follow, one of which is that if a vessel exceeds a certain length from stem to stern (front to back) it must be registered with the USCG. As well, there is an organization — the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) — that similarly ranks and characterizes vessels, which establishes standards for vessel construction, as well as the standards set by the American Boats & Yacht Council (ABYC).

If a vessel is longer than 26 feet, it MUST be registered with the United States Coast Guard. That is the law. If under 26 feet long, it may, or may not, be required to registered with the USCG, depending on the state or locality of the owner’s residence (home port). In almost every state, boats under 26 feet in length must bear a registration number on the exterior of the hull, typically toward the bow, whereas with USCG-registered vessels, a vessel’s name and hailing port must be marked together on some clearly visible exterior part of the hull. A “hailing port” is the location from which the vessel is typically harbored (parked). In the case of Joe “Maserati” Manchin’s yacht, it’s named “Almost Heaven,” and is from Charleston, WV. When the yacht was previously named “JENNIFER ANNE,” its Hailing Port was ANNAPOLIS, MD.

“Almost Heaven” was formerly owned David and Jennifer DeLancey, who then named the vessel “Jennifer Ann.” An article about the Jennifer Ann was written by Ken Ringle, April 25, 2004 and published in the Washington Post, which described the vessel.

“Today the DeLanceys live afloat on the Jennifer Ann. You could call it a houseboat, but that would be like calling Air Force One a plane. Within the sunny, air-conditioned confines of the custom-built, 65-by-20-foot, three-story steel hull, David has packaged more space and amenities than most apartments and condominiums, and many houses. The 1,500 square feet of interior living space embrace 3 1/2 bedrooms (including a 14-by-20-foot master suite), 3 1/2 bathrooms, and a bright and open living/dining area (complete with a granite dining table) where the DeLanceys have comfortably entertained as many as 50 people to watch a Blue Angels air show or the colorful start of major yacht races on the bay.

This image provides perspective on the size of Joe “Maserati” Manchin’s yacht “Almost Heaven,” as activists in kayaks on the water below demonstrate at the stern of the yacht owned by WV Senator Joe Manchin. Image by Sarah Silbiger, Greenpeace.

“Jennifer’s designer kitchen boasts a full-size electric stove, granite counters, two dishwashers, a trash compactor and Sub-Zero refrigerator plus “as much drawer and cabinet storage as I had in my house outside Annapolis.”

“All this breezy panache is contained within a vessel the DeLanceys acknowledge is engineered more for utility than exterior elegance. The Jennifer Ann bears a closer resemblance to a downsized Cape May Ferry than to anything ever owned by Aristotle Onassis. That’s all right with the DeLanceys. “We’d rather people shrug when we come into the marina, then come aboard and say, ‘Oh, wow!’ “ says Jennifer.

“Like many boaters, the DeLanceys can awaken in a secluded cove to the soft beat of heron wings, or sip cocktails amid sunwashed marshes while tossing peanuts to mendicant ducks. But unlike many powerboaters, who drive from one set of marina hook-ups to another, the DeLanceys and their vessel are engineered for a major getaway. With two 250-gallon holding tanks, 1,400 gallons of freshwater tankage and a fuel range of 1,200 to 1,400 miles, the Jennifer Ann can easily go three weeks without touching shore.”

So we know some fundamental facts about “Almost Heaven,” as Manchin’s yacht is now named. It’s 65×20, has 1500sf, living space, is luxuriously appointed, custom-made, and with a “a fuel range of 1,200 to 1,400 miles, can easily go three weeks without touching shore.”

That’s NOT some mere “houseboat.” THAT is a YACHT. And because it has toilets, beds, cooking & refrigeration facilities — the accoutrements of a house, or residence — it can also qualify as a tax deduction, according to IRS rules. And since “Maserati Manchin” lives aboard the vessel while Congress is in session, that very much solidifies, and exceeds their standard for qualifying as a residence.

Here is additional information from the USCG, and M&T Bank, which brokered the sale, about Joe “Maserati” Manchin’s yacht “Almost Heaven.”

United States Coast Guard Vessel Documentation for “Almost Heaven”
• (see also: https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4946154/Coast-Guard.pdf)

Manchin Yacht Memorandum of Sale brokered by M&T Bank
• (see also: https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4946155/House-Boat-4.pdf)

OFFICIAL NUMBER: 1114579 HULL NUMBER: CMBRF149H001 IMO NUMBER: VESSEL NAME: ALMOST HEAVEN HAILING PORT: CHARLESTON WV YEAR BUILT: 2001 LENGTH – FEET: 65.0 BREADTH – FEET: 20.0 DEPTH – FEET: 10.0 GROSS TONS: 87.0 NET TONS: 69.0 SELF PROPELLED: Yes

PROPULSION TYPE: UNSPECIFIED HULL MATERIAL: Steel HULL CONFIGURATION: Monohull HULL SHAPE: Ship SERVICE TYPE: Recreational CERTIFICATE ISSUED: 9/9/2021 CERTIFICATE EXPIRES: 9/30/2024 CERTIFICATE STATUS: Valid ENDORSEMENTS: Recreation BUILDER: CUSTOM STEEL BOATS INC HULL BUILT: MERRITT, NC, UNITED STATES VESSEL COMPLETED: MERRITT, NC, UNITED STATES

C & M BOAT WORKS (OOB) [NOTE: Out Of Business, formerly Doing Business As]
102 Yacht Drive, Merritt, NC 28556
metalyachts@customsteelboats.com
252-745-7447
http://www.customsteelboats.com/about.html

However, let’s continue with additional information about yachts… as if the previous statements about “Maserati Joe” Manchin’s vessel weren’t already enough.

This is a houseboat. Note the absence of a keel (the “undercarriage” of a vessel), and instead, two pontoons on either side of the craft. In a very real sense, a “houseboat” is akin to a pontoon boat — a vessel which rests atop two pontoons to provide displacement (floating ability).

Yacht certification is handled by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), “a trade association representing boat, marine engine and accessory manufacturers. NMMA Certification is a program for boats, yachts, boat trailers, PWC [Personal WaterCraft] and marine oils in the United States.” The program purpose is to demonstrate to prospective boat buyers that the vessel has been built to meet or exceed the standards of the American Boats & Yacht Council (ABYC), in Annapolis, MD.

The ABYC writes that, “ABYC Standards cover a broad range of topics including US Federal requirements. ABYC Standards are the basis of certification programs, marine surveys, and legal judgements. ABYC Standards are the authoritative reference for evaluating issues of design, construction, maintenance, and product performance.”

Of the standards, the ABYC writes further, that, “Standards are the core of ABYC as they are continuously researched, developed, and revised by over 400 volunteer marine professionals on 16 Project Technical Committees (PTCs) from all fields of the industry including the US Coast Guard (USCG), trade organizations, and private entities. ABYC collaborates with safety organizations worldwide such as Transport Canada and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).”

If a boat builder participates in the NMMA program, every model of their fleet must be inspected annually for Yacht Certification, and every vessel design is submitted to the ABYC for their approval, in order to meet those standards. Every vessel made that’s over 26 feet in length, and that adheres to those standards has a permanently-affixed, prominently-displayed label stating “NMMA Certified using ABYC standards.”

Yachts are often classified as being any vessel used for pleasure or sport, and can range in length from 30 feet to over 100 feet in length. While a yacht “can be” as small as 30 feet in length, a yacht is often considered a cabin cruiser (a vessel with quarters for crew and passengers) when it’s 39 feet, or more, and then it’s considered a “proper” yacht. A yacht is considered large when its length exceeds 79 feet, while any yacht over 115 feet in length is considered a “superyacht” or “megayacht.”